Black Mirror, in my opinion, is one of best series of all time. I believe it to the BEST anthology series of all time and if you don't know that that means it simply means that while there is a common theme in the episodes, one episode is in no way related to any of the previous ones. Well, that was true until this season as they actually did do a part 2 to a previous episode and honestly, I feel as though that was a bad idea.
I'm not going to spoil this episode or any of the other ones but if you are a fan of the show you probably remember the episode USS Callister that happened in season 4 and starred Jesse Plemons as the main character / baddie.
Most of the same cast is back in USS Callister; Into Infinity and it is reasonably entertaining but I was a little distraught when before the episode began there was a "previously on.." wrap-up to remind us about what happened before this installment. This is the opposite of what has been done with all Black Mirror episodes up to this point and I sincerely hope that it is not an indication that the show-runners are running out of ideas and instead are going to take the lazy route of sequels going forward.
Most Black Mirror episodes in the past have intentionally ended without a definitive resolution and this is part of what has made this series so great. We, the audience, are left to our own thoughts about what happens after the credits start rolling instead of having a good or bad ending clearly defined and to me, that was what made this series unique and wonderful.
Each season that Black Mirror releases is a real challenge because they have set the bar extremely high in the past and just like Eminem said in one of his songs "I'm not gonna be able to top where my name is!" So this is always something that is going to happen whenever they make anything new. When you have already made the best, it is really difficult or perhaps impossible to continue to "one-up" what has already been done so well.
This is evident in most of the episodes of season 7. They are still good, but I, like most other viewers, have such incredible expectations of what I am about to watch that I invariably end up being at least a little disappointed.
Again, I am not going to be spoiling anything that happens in any of the episodes but it was kind of nice to see Paul Giamatti in an episode which is in my opinion, one of the best in the new season. He is truly a fantastic actor and the episode that he stars in called "Eulogy" is just amazing.
I think the best episode in the entire series is actually Episode 4 though, and it is entitled "Plaything."
Peter Capaldi, an actor that I have never heard of before but am definitely going to look up to see what else he has right now, does an absolutely outstanding job as the lead role in this really unique episode of Black Mirror.
I wonder if other people out there will think that I am correct as choosing this as the best episode of the entire season. I believe it is one of the top 5 episodes of all of the Black Mirror seasons.
Should I watch it?
I'll say the same thing about Season 7 that I have said about the other 6 seasons: yes. I feel as though in an age where most series are just slight deviations from many other series that have already been done that Black Mirror is refreshingly original and its dark overtones really makes you contemplate humanity's increasing dependence upon technology. It's reflective and emotional, terrifying and also enlightening. I can think of no other series that manages to do this all in one place and the fact that each episode (aside from now, two of them) is a stand-alone work of art, makes it even more enjoyable.
Get out there and watch it.
Currently, this is only legally available with a subscription to Netflix, which nearly everyone has access to already so you are in luck
